Letter: SLV Water District rate increase essential to maintaining services

EDITOR,
Let’s support the San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s proposed rate increase now, because we can’t afford to wait.
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District reviewed its operational and financial health. After careful study over many years, the need for a rate increase is clear. Funds from the rate increase are the only viable solution to upgrade the aging and disconnected facilities, maintain services across our wide valley, prepare for inevitable emergencies, and support proper management of the watershed and fishery.
Now is the time to pay for our children’s water system. We can’t wait to repair what is already worn out and leaking, or those repairs will be even more expensive. We can’t wait any longer to prepare for that catastrophic wildfire, drought, or earthquake that could dismantle or shut-down the system throughout its many neighborhoods across the valley. Much of the current equipment has exceeded its useful life, and the current buildings are too old to support the personnel, vehicles, storage, and business required by our modern community. Costs will increase even more if we require the district staff to continue dealing with more unnecessary water main breaks, failed wells, failed water tanks, and failed pumps. The district is already far behind on these improvements, and deficits are looming. We have known these rate increases were coming, so let’s get on with it.
If we fail to pay for the required improvements now, and fail to meet our need to provide safe and reliable water, will there be another viable option? No. Has planning been thorough and professional? Yes. Is there a better option to prepare now? No.
Our community has to look after itself, whether on a nice summer day, stormy night, after an earthquake, or as a wildfire bears down. The people who work for the district can only do so with the tools we provide to them. The people who we elected and serve us as volunteers on the board of directors and various committees have reviewed the strategic plans, costs studies, building plans, budgets, and audits, and the majority voted to approve the rate increase. We should be involved and aware, and participate in meetings. And after doing so, we should support the district’s employees, elected directors, and volunteer committee members by recognizing their dedicated work, and supporting their judgment.
John Fasolas, Felton